Chapter 248

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Protagonists:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Standing before the mountain forest, amid the heavy snow, Yue and Yan, the two of them, could not help but recall that snowy night on Tianlang Mountain many years ago, and the secret talk between the General and them after seeing that bizarre Eight-Character Warning.

Besides the General and these few confidants of his, the only other person present at that secret talk in the snow was the Sixth Prince, who was still young in years.

At the end of the secret talk, the General left them with an admonition equivalent to a military order: if Heaven's will is already set and cannot be changed, yet a change still occurs in the end, remember not to raise a clamor, do your utmost to suppress and preserve the soldiers under your command, and do not bury the nation's fortune.

They dropped to one knee in the snow, once asking through tears: "What about the General, then? The General just now was the true Grand Protector of National Fortune; if he is not here, what are we to do?"

"The Grand Protector of National Fortune has never been in Ling Ke alone, but in us, the many officers and soldiers." The General looked toward the high mountain covered in snow, and the waterfall hanging down from it: "All things hibernating in winter is the Heavenly Principle, but if one lies dormant to preserve the roots, when the opportunity arrives, there will eventually be a day of flourishing again."

Yet what is the true opportunity?

They never had a clear answer, and ever since the General left, what they faced first was suppression and torment, then the Emperor's determination to campaign against the Xiongnu, years of bitter warfare, many comrades dying miserably, inevitably their hearts and wills withered and numbed, white hair sprouting early at their temples, and then seeing natural disasters frequent, the hearts of the people under heaven showing signs of scattering... when they returned to the capital in defeat, they had nearly resigned themselves to never waiting for the "opportunity" the General spoke of that would eventually arrive.

Until that night in Shanglin Park, the appearance of those three youths.

At that time, those three youthful figures stood side by side under the dim yellow lights, and after paying their respects to them, they sat down cross-legged; the youth on the left was the one most familiar to them, the Sixth Prince who had been warning them in secret these past years, helping them avoid many murderous schemes, and was also a witness to that secret talk back then; on the right was the General's son Congnan, who was truly still alive in this world; only the one in the middle was a youthful girl who could be called a stranger, that Lady of the Lingzhu Marquis, said to bear profound heavenly secrets, yet seemingly having no intersection with them...

In their hesitation, the Sixth Prince spoke, making clear that girl's other "identity" — the person who left that Eight-Character Warning on Tianlang Mountain back then.

Yueyang and Yan Tian were shocked to the extreme; just how old was that girl back then? How could she have foreseen such a great calamity in advance?

Although the Sixth Prince rarely spoke truth before outsiders, he would not lie about a matter like this, and moreover, combining this girl's background as the Feng Family's young lady and thinking it over slightly, they could smoothly connect it to the Tianlang Mountain incident back then...

The General had also said back then, the world is vast, strange people are countless; if this prophecy comes true, the prophet is the benefactor who preserves their Ling Family Army.

If the General had not set a preservation strategy in advance, back then there would inevitably have been a great fire of killing that could not be extinguished for a long time, that could not easily be stopped; they could disregard the grand national fortune, yet they would inevitably have to call the other party benefactor for the sake of their own survival and that of those around them.

The two of them on the spot performed the full kowtow ritual toward that mysterious benefactor who had finally appeared.

This night, three youths each bearing different significance appeared simultaneously, as if symbolizing that the stagnant, rusted wheel of fate was about to turn again; when the two straightened up, there was no more hesitation or reservation, they made a solemn promise.

To guard against sudden developments, they prepared at all times on the pretext of drills, until that day the girl appeared treading the last rays of the setting sun; she had no Tiger Talisman, but she herself was the Tiger Talisman — once seen, the two would immediately don armor and muster troops.

The pretext for that night was to protect the Emperor's carriage, but even though the Emperor was already dead, with no evidence to prove the Crown Prince's rebellion, their Iron Cavalry also possessed the determination to forcibly purge everything.

At this moment heavy snow swirled, and thinking of the sound of old cases being retried in the military camp today, falling like snowflakes, howling like the cold wind, Yueyang slowly exhaled a large ball of warm mist, his eyes damp with warm moisture.

Their being here today is both to once again thank the benefactor who brought about this situation, and to see the General's son off as he leaves the city.

The General's son Ling Congnan stood before the carriage, his eye rims slightly red, and once again bowed to Shaowei.

And behind him, accompanied by coughing, the heavy carriage curtain was lifted by a slender hand, the weak person inside insisted on getting down, so Ling Congnan reached out to help her down.

The woman wore a cloak, her face covered with gauze, her footwear stepping into the snow, slowly kneeling, bowing tearfully: "Many thanks to the Witch God for bestowing such favor."

Shaowei, already bothered beyond endurance by being thanked over and over, said at this moment: "Thank what? I already said, it's just a trivial matter."

This was the trivial request she made to the Emperor.

The Emperor at that time asked how trivial this matter was, and Shaowei answered: "This subject wants to ask Your Majesty for a person."

That did indeed sound like a trivial matter, the Emperor let out an "oh," and asked: "What person?"

Shaowei: "Rui Huanghou."

The Emperor fell silent for a moment, looking at this subject of his.

Back when Rui Ji had just been presented to his side, before she even had a proper title, many people had jokingly asked him for her.

Yet he never imagined that, many years later, Rui Ji would have become Empress, yet someone would still dare to open their mouth and ask to take her, and the other party was a girl.

"This trivial matter of yours is to take away the Mother of a Nation?"

The Emperor let out a powerless chuckle, but in the end he agreed.

And after Rui Ji woke up, she was utterly despairing; in Taoxi Mountain Villa, she once asked through tears: "Why did the Witch God go to such trouble to save me?"

The girl she gazed at with tearful eyes answered in a flat tone: "Back then you swapped out the poison, that was your family's affair, you merely never harmed me, so I naturally cannot claim gratitude. But since you never harmed me, now that I have won, I also do not want to harm you."

Rui Ji realized many things in an instant, including her elder brother's death.

She had much gratitude, yet under enormous grief she lost the will to live: "The Witch God's kindness, Rui Ji shall remember... but with my brother dead and my son gone, what reason do I have to cling to life alone? I should have died together with them."

Shaowei had not expected things to turn out this way, stared blankly in surprise, somewhat at a loss: "But I already saved you, so what now?"

Rui Ji did not want to betray the Witch God's kindness, yet also had no desire to live, for a moment shedding tears, caught in a dilemma of life and death.

Each finding the other difficult, and Shaowei not having the habit of forcing others to live against their will, in the end she could only propose: "The Rui Huanghou in the capital is already dead; if you insist on seeking death, then wait until after leaving the capital — for now, just live a while longer."

Leaving those words, Shaowei turned and left, never coming to see Rui Ji again.

And so, with this delay, Rui Ji, "living a while longer," under the care of her maidservants and Ling Congnan's attentive companionship, recuperated for half a month, her wounds gradually scabbing over. One day she walked out of the house, looking out at the mountain villa's surroundings, wild charm perfectly formed, gazing at the high sky and distant clouds, in a trance she only felt the shackles of many years peeling off like scabs in the wind.

She suddenly realized she had lost everything, yet unexpectedly gained the freedom she had most sought but never obtained, the freedom to spread wings and fly far like a mountain bird.

At the Changling Grand Sacrifice, she was deeply drawn to the figure on the altar that attracted the silent divine birds; after the sacrifice ended, those birds seemed to have been released by the divine spirit, and she stared blankly for a long time. And now, she, the former Empress, has actually become one of those divine birds released by that godlike girl.

She was released by the divine spirit, and the youth she once released from afar is now escorting her far away; the world's karmic laws are so mysterious, she considers herself ultimately fortunate.

Rui Ji, kneeling in the snow, raised her tearful face, a clear tear rolling into her face veil: "This departure, even if separated by ten thousand miles, I shall surely pray for the Witch God day and night, wishing to use my meager strength and utmost sincerity to dispel calamities and avert tribulations for the Witch God."

Shaowei originally wanted to say "unnecessary," but when it reached her lips, she changed it to an "Mm," and said no more.

Rui Ji bowed in farewell again, was helped back into the carriage, Ling Congnan boarded after her; before the carriage curtain fell, he revealed a smile tinged with tears toward Liu Qi.

Liu Qi saw them off with his gaze, looking at Congnan's eyes and smile, yet in the snow mist before his eyes there emerged what he had seen in his dream.

Not long ago, he had a very short dream; in the dream, Congnan committed a grave error due to concealment, and in the end chose to commit suicide in shame before the old subordinates and soldiers of the South, his long sword slashing his throat, large spurts of bright blood splashing onto him.

Yet at this moment there was no scalding, sticky vermilion blood, only cool, light snowflakes; the carriage gradually receded, Liu Qi slowly turned his head, looking at Shaowei beside him.

She wore a dark cloak lined with fox fur, reddish-brown fox fur showing at the edges, the brim of the wind hood also fluffy; on the road she said she had never worn such a thick, large cloak, simply like a stove, but since Mother had it made, taking advantage of this snowy night journey, she seized the chance to give it some use.

At this moment most of her face was tucked into the wind hood, only a pair of eyes still dark and bright, seeing him look over, she said to him: "Returning to the city in the middle of the night is too troublesome; you might as well stay the night at this mountain villa with me."

Liu Qi: "Good, many thanks to the Villa Master for lodging me."

"I don't count as the Villa Master." Shaowei turned toward the carriage, saying softly: "That time I came, I gifted this place to Jiang Fu..."

Shaowei also invited Yueyang and Yan Tian to stay overnight at the mountain villa, but since the two could not stay away from the military camp overnight, and the camp was also outside the city, there was no need to bother sneaking back into the city, so they thanked her and declined, bidding farewell and boarding the carriage to leave.

Just as Shaowei was about to board the carriage, she turned her head and saw Liu Qi still standing in place, so she called out: "Liu Situi!"

Liu Qi came back to his senses and walked over; Shaowei then climbed into the carriage first, and after sitting down, she asked Liu Qi, who had boarded right behind her: "Why are you standing there blankly? What are you thinking about?"

"Shaowei, I had a dream, when we were at Shanglin Park..." The carriage began to move slowly, and Liu Qi said: "In the dream, I asked you to end my remaining life and kill me."

Shaowei was stunned, looking at Liu Qi, but then she heard him say: "But in the dream you were also covered in blood, and I didn't know if you were in pain; in the dream I actually never asked you a single word."

Shaowei remained silent for a moment, then asked him in turn: "Then what about you? Did it hurt when you were dying in the dream?"

Back then they were not nearly as familiar as they are now; the first time he called out to her, she thought he was asking for help, and she didn't even stop her steps.

Thinking about it now, if she had known he was the current Liu Situi, she would definitely not have been so cold; killing him was still inevitable, she would have to help him find release, but she would definitely have hidden his corpse so that villains couldn't find and take it away. Aside from that, she didn't know what else she could do—perhaps she should tell him, so he wouldn't have to be afraid, and soon it wouldn't hurt, so he could die in peace; when he woke up again, she wouldn't kill him anymore, she would keep saving him, everything would be different, and he wouldn't be a disgraceful short-lived ghost anymore.

Liu Qi slowly shook his head now and said "It doesn't hurt," looking into her eyes, he said: "Shaowei, thank you for killing me in the dream, and for saving me after waking up."

"No need to thank me." Shaowei's demeanor was composed: "I didn't do this without reason; isn't it because you are very much worth my saving?"

Liu Qi smiled and asked her: "Then do I count as one who seeks blessings for himself?"

Shaowei nodded in recognition, then pushed open the carriage window, leaning her head out to look outside.

But in the heart of Liu Qi, who sought blessings for himself, more desires surged; she was looking out the window, while his gaze fell on the corner of her robe; both wore cloaks, spread out when sitting cross-legged, his robe corner pressing on her robe corner, like some unknown close entanglement.

Liu Qi silently pressed his finger down upon it; his fingers were slender, and when he exerted force, the tendons and bones on the back of his hand were clear, that clarity of tendons and bones extending all the way to the tight forearm beneath his wide sleeve, veins stretching continuously, accumulating and suppressing strength, like the intent and greed that were about to burst forth.

Shaowei looked through the window, but gazed into the wind and snow; she tried to find the direction of that death-dealing mountain forest from her previous life, planning to cut down and burn that forest to end the ominous death date of early summer next year, but after thinking it over, she finally gave up this reckless mischief of venting anger on an innocent mountain spirit.

Everything had changed; Liu Qi was no longer an ominous rebel, the cold sickness on her body had also been lifted, and there would no longer be another Feng Xian missing ears to offend her, make her kill, and drive her into that mountain forest... By now, she should set her heart at ease.

Shaowei closed the carriage window and her heart demon together, not having time to say anything else, as the carriage had already driven into the mountain villa.

Originally they were seeing her off at the mountain forest outside the villa grounds; this road back to the villa was very short. When the carriage stopped, Shaowei got down, and immediately saw that inside the forest beside her was covered in thick accumulated snow, without a single footprint or wheel track, complete and brand new to the point that one couldn't help but hurry over to trample it and leave a mark.

Shaowei originally didn't like snow; in the past on Tianlang Mountain, when it snowed it was too cold, and Mother always suffered greatly. Now Mother had a warm room, thick fur coat, and hot soup, and Shaowei had a complete Mother, so she gradually came to like many things she hadn't been able to like before, and day by day came to feel the loveliness of many things.

Just stepping in a circle wasn't enough; Shaowei squatted down to pack snow with her hands, without any finely carved shape, just letting her ten fingers loose to squeeze and knead to her heart's content, making it firm like an iron ball.

When the fifth iron ball was about to come out of the furnace, Liu Qi walked along Shaowei's footprints, knelt on one knee before her, also grabbed a handful of snow in his hand, and asked: "Shaowei, that day in this mountain villa, you said you still had things you hadn't figured out; have you figured them out now?"

Shaowei stopped packing snow, looked up at him.

Heavy snow as a lamp illuminated heaven and earth in quiet clarity; under such a lamp observing people, she saw that the youth before her had exceptionally beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and was unusually serious, as if he had thousands of words wanting to come out; this question was merely his opening remark.

"I've figured it out." Shaowei answered, saying: "I also love you."

Liu Qi was stunned for a moment, his whole person... also... yes, he couldn't be anymore! But, she actually said she loved him?

Wind and snow passed by his ears; Liu Qi suspected that under his madness and tension he had produced an imaginary auditory hallucination; he had never dared to make preparations to hear such a sentence!

"Isn't it obvious that I also love you? I've known it for a long time, don't you realize it unconsciously." Shaowei said in a tone that saw through everything: "I was just thinking afterward, what kind of love this love actually is."

Meeting Liu Qi's shocked eyes, Shaowei also felt some heat in her face and ears, but since she had figured it out and had already spoken, she naturally should make it clear and understandable; and because she always liked to seize the initiative and take the lead, she simply sat cross-legged in the snow at this moment, and said seriously: "I've thought about this matter very clearly recently too; you listen carefully to me finish speaking."

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